Hydraulic clutch



Filed Feb. le, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l /i v A IIYDRAULIQ'Currany a 15 Emery n. Fahriiey, oakrark, vn1. ,u l Y Application February 16, lesa-serial No. 711,515 a, f; fuclaims. (cru-29705,

This inventionv relates in general to hydraulic clutch mechanism for controlling the operation of forwardl and reverse gears, but more particu- 7 quick enough, so that when the other or advanclarly the invention is concerned in ay safety device or mechanism, by means of the usey of which either theyforward clutch mechanism or the reverse gear mechanism may be' operated indel pendently onev with respect to the other.

It'has frequently happened Awith hydraulically operated reverse gear mechanismthat the pressure operating one clutchV cannot kbe released ing clutch is being engaged, both of the clutches for the advance and reverse'will ybe engaged, caus-A1 ing considerabledamage.

In order to overcome these dimculties and ob- 'jectio'ns and to provide an improved safety detion, combination and arrangement .of the sevi eral parts hereinafter more fully-:described and y section, partly brokensaway, and withzparts reV vice or mechanism whereby thel advance and reverse clutch devices-cannot be rendered active simultaneously, butonly in sequence, is one of the objects of thepresentinvention.v Y'

' A further object is to 'provide' an limproved --i'levi'ce or-mechanism `4oi? this character which willk be of a comparatively simple and compact arv rangement'and4 which willbe emcientand eilfecf-v 'tivein'operation l V- f To the attainment ofthesevends and the accomplishment-'of other new and usefulobjects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantiallyfthe:construcclaimed and shown inthe accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, and. in which@ Figurel is'aview'partly in elevation, partly in moved, of la clutchcontrol mechanism of this characterA constructedv in accordance with the principles of this invention, and showing the- -mechanismset so that the advance mechanism is is being rendered active. y A Y Figure 2 is a view of the safetyor control mechf being released ywhile the reverse gear mechanism anism, vsimilar ytothat shown'l in Figure vJ.,V with parts omitiemand showing the' mechanism set so as to render the reverse controlI clutch inactive and the advancing control clutch'beingrendered active. A

Figure 3 is a detail yline 3 3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, with'parts omitted, and as taken on line 4--4, Figure 3. f f f Figure 5`is a detail sectional view takenn lille' 5 5, Figure 1, with parts omitted,

vsectiomal y'view taken on Figure .6L-'is adetail sectionalwviewiitaken on line 6-6Figure 1, with parts omitted."v

Referring more particularly'to.thefdrawings the numeral III designates a driving shaft which receivesy its power from lany suitable source,-and II 5 designates a driven shaft. The shaft III is mountred in suitable bearings*v I2 while the shaft II is journaled in suitablefbearings` I3? andV I4'. f These shafts are arranged in alinement and kone" of the shafts is provided with "a reduced-end'v I5 which 10 telescopes' into the end of the shaft' I0, as at I6. The numeral I'I Vdesignates Agenerally a clutch and gear housing or casing' provided with apartiti'onslnOn one side of the partition-is arranged a series of spacedandfalternately ar- 15 ranged'friction discsy I9--20.v Tlfieserdiscs en- `icompass the driving shaftA lvandtthediscs I9 *are provided with spacedperipheral lprojections 2 Ik i ywhich entergrooves or recesses.` 22;A injthe wall of the housing I1, while the discs 20 are Ypr'o-v 20 vided-with Vprojections 23 which enter grooves in a hub or enlarged portionV 24 onv the shaftzl, so

- that when the shaftv I0 is rotated andthecasing IIT is helduagainst rotation,xthediscs..2II`- will be 'rotated with the :sha-ft, and there will-be '.a release 25 o1'` friction so that. there vwillbeara free rotation of one set of discs with respect to thebther.

L The portion of;v the housing I'I yon-,the-:side of `thepartition I8. on whichthe discs :I9 4and-,20 are located isclosed bymeans of a' closure 25,# shaped 30 to form arcylinder in which. a piston 26 operates. A packing lring 21 is provided'onthepiston 26 and ispreferably of-a substantial kU4 shape in V.cross section, and is seatedwithin ra,-recess in the .face o1 the piston. The?. periphery? of the 35 packing ring'21 contacts with=the,, wall of the cylinder to form a practically fluid tightfjoint.

The end oi' the cylinderor closure-,25,isl provided with aplurality .of openings throughl which rods 28 pass, and. these rods are secured by one 40 end as at 29 to the piston andextend-for any suitable distance beyond the end 25 ofthe cylin- V der. A spring 30 encompasses the rods'28 and rests in suitable recesses 3| and vcontacts with the `lend 25 of the cylinder. A nut 32..v is threadedon 45 the end lof vthe rod, and thel other end of the spring 3l) preferably contacts with a washer 33 which encompasses the rod l28,9,nd engages the communication between the stress of the springs 30, in a manner to be set forth, it will move against the adjacent disc 20 and will force the discs 28 and I9 into contact with each other and will hold them sufilciently to cause friction therebetween so as to lock the housing I1 for rotation with the driving shaft I0. A casing or cap 34 may be provided for covering the ends of the rods 28 and springs 30.

As the normal tendency of the springs 30 is to unlock or render the clutch formed by the discs I920 inactive, it is only necessary in order to lock the driving shaft I3 with the driven shaft II, to render this clutch mechanism active by forcing the piston 26 in a direction to cause the friction discs to bind against each other. 'I'his is accomplished hydraulically through the medium of fluid pressure which is supplied to kthe cylinderv 25 through a supply pipe 35 in a 4manner which will now be described.

The numeral 36 designatesa sump for containing'the fluid suitable construction operated from any suitable sourcevof power. The pump is connected to the sump 36 by means of a pipe 38 and leading from the pump is a discharge pipe 39 which has communication with a valve casing 40. Leading from the valve casingj43 is a discharge pipe 4I which also leads back to the.sump 36.

Within the valve casing 40 is an operating valve 42 for controlling the clutches, and this valve 42 is actuated by means of an operating handle 43.

Leadingpalso from the valve casing 40 is a pipe 44 which has communication with a valve casing/"4 45, and with this valve casing 45 the pipe 35 also has communication. l

A control valve 46 operates in a casing 4,1 which is connectedv to the valve casing 45 and controls the passage 48 in the'valve casing 45 which forms the pipe 44 and the pipe 35.

Connected to the valve 46 is a plunger 49 which operates inthe casing 41, and a spring 53 is arranged within the cylinder 41 beneath the piston 49 and tends normally to move the valve 46 in a direction to open the passage 48 and thereby establish communication between the pipes 44 and 35. f c

Pressure is supplied to the cylinder 41 above the piston 49 to move vthe latter against the stress of the spring 50 and thereby move the valve 46 to close the opening 48, through a pipe 5I which receives its source of supply of pressure iiuid from the pump 31, in a manner to be described.

Arranged within'the pipe 44 and bet-Ween the valve casing 45 and the valve casing 4I), is a valve 52 controlledfby an operating handle 53 and by means of which valve 52 the size of the passage in the pipe 44 leading to the valve casing 45, may be varied, so as to control or reduce the volume of fluid acting upon the plungeror piston 26, thus causing the clutch to act quickly or slowly, as desired,

A by-pass pipe 54 leads around the valve casing 45 and the valve 52 and is connected by one end to the pipe 35 and by its other end to the pipe 44 between the valve 52 and the valve casing 40, so that the fluid may pass around the valve casing 45. Within the pipe 54 is arranged a valve casing 55 within which is disposed a. check valve 56, preferably of the flap type which will open to permit the fluid to flow in one direction but will be closed against the ow of the fluid in the opposite direction.y

When pressure is admitted through the pipe 5I into the cylinder 41 above the and-31 designates a pump of any tubular piston rod piston 49, the

valve 46 will be close so that pressure will be relieved `from the piston 28 and the pressure iiuid will then iiow through the pipe 35 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure l, around the valve casing 45, through the valve casing 55, pipe 44, through the valve casing 40, discharge pipe 4I back into the sump 36 when the lever 43 is in the position shown in Figure 1, thereby relieving pressure on the friction discs I9 and 20, so

that the piston 26 will be moved under the stress 10 of the springs 38 torelease the clutch formed thereby.

It will therefore be seen that Aby manipulation of the lever 43 the operation of the clutch formed by the Pdiscs I9 and 28will be controlled, and by 15 operation of the lever 53, the position of the valve 52]. will be changed, with the result that the iiow of fluid will be restricted to prevent the clutch 26 from being thrown too quickly. The by-pass 54 andcheck valve 56 serve to provide a full opening 20 of the pipe 54 in releasing the pressure from the piston 26 to provide for the quickest possible release.

Within the casing I1 on the other side of the partition I8 is a chamber 51 within whichis 25 arranged a` driving gear 58 which is secured to lthe driving shaft I3 for rotation therewith, and a driven gear 59 which is secured to the driven shaft II for rotation therewith. These gears are spaced from each other laterally' and disposed 30 therebetween are planetary gears 60 which are .journaled upon suitable trunnions or bearings 6I supported by the casing wall,.and with the y,planetary gearsboth of the gears 58--59 mesh.

IA portion of the outer surface of the casing I1 35 is recessed as at 62, and within this recessed portion is arranged a brake band 63 having lugs 64. A cylinder 65 (see particularly Figure 3) is supported by meansof suitable brackets Sli/mounted upon uprights 61. piston 68 provided with a' tubular piston rod 69 which contactsf with one yoi' the lugs 64. A bar or rod 'I0 passes through the lugs 64 ,and is prol vided on one end with a nut or head 1I contacting with the outer face of onefof the lugs, and the 45 other end 12 of the bar telescopes into the piston rod 69. A pin 13 is anchored to the ,wall of the cylinder 65fand passes `through slots 14 in the l' 69 and also passes through the rod 16. f

A spring 15 encompasses therv rod 10 between the lugs 64 and tends normally/to separate the lugs, -thereby releasing the brake band Sand at the same time drawing the rod 10 forwardly so f that the rod will move 4within the slot 14` in the 5:

piston rod and the lugY 64,will tend to move the piston 68 into the cylinder 65. is held against rotation about the casing I1 preferably by means of lugs 16.

1e will therefore be manifest that the normal 6' tendency of the spring 15 is to separate the lugs 64 and thereby release the brake band, and at the same time move the piston 68 into the cylinder 65. This will happen when pressure isappiied 6 against the piston 26, in a manner to be described. Therefore, in order to apply the brake yband 63 f it is necessary to force the piston 68 forwardly in the cylinder 65 and cause the lugs 64 to/be moved towards each other against the stress of 7 the spring 15. f

T'his is accomplished by means of fluid pressure supplied to the cylinder 65 through the pipe 11. This pipe 11 is connected' to a valve casingy 18 having an opening 19 therein to form commui Within thecylinder 65 is a 4o The brake band i f nication *withy another pipe .Y `9,916,014, 80 which vlatterv has, dellveredthrough the pipel] into the cylinder I8 Y cgmmunication withthe-,valve casing 4|). j

A control valve a! arrangedwmmpne Pin. A smandfal-h'andlei@5663 'tidwith the valve,V

Inasrnuch 'as ,the pipe v86 connected Jiwitnlthe valve ,tesine wis iigxcyim '21er 83 Within vvhichlis arrtmgdvaI piston V84 cori l `.I iected to a valvej85 and which valye65 control the opening 19. Al spring 86ffis arrangedbet'ween the piston 84 androne'end ,off the 'cylinder 8 3 and tends normally vto Vfmove `the valve 85 in affdrec'- tion to` open theipassagelSQ Injorder to "close"` the opening 1 9, the valve 85 mustfbermoved against the stress vofthe spring V86 and this is :1c-, complishedfby fluid pressure which is supplied through la, pipe 81 `which communicates with the f the pistong49 controlling thevalv 46` operates,

' wiihthe result thatiwhen the Afluid pressure 'isf forced through the v pipe 80 whenthe'i'valve 4 2" lis in the position shown inrigiireii, apart of the .l

'construction 'there .wiiibe' fa-saefr'tice provided .simultaneously i .with *the clutch formed by the fri'tiony d to niovethe'valve 85' yclosethe"opening 1l. This will outfofg'fftno nuidfl'pressiire'f'nioui'l the by nieanfs of thj'fuse otyvlri'ihit jvllbe iinpossihle l to (apply thejreverse gear.. controlling bralee band .tive and the'ifressurwilibe ctuati'on jof.. the "single control j ver 452 v Thusv if open and the liquidA willescape under excess 25 cylinder above thepiston84, aridftliislpipe turn has communicationjwith the pipej -fjliyon'dV f thejvalvef46 'and' ,theconnection 'off the pipe 54,.

with thepipeSS, so that yiwl'unjtluid pressure upon the piston"j26 j is relieved, fluid pressure upon the piston"64 will 'also be yrelieved, andthis will permit the spring 86 tunseatithevalve `85 tojg'j `open thepassege 19 so that fluid pressure through the pipe 80 willjhe delivered tothe A'cylinder 65A f through the' valve casing y.18 and`pipef11. Con``V V nected with vthevpipelfl beyond thevalvelcasing' '18 is the otherlelnd of the `pipe 5| Which has l -communication with the cylinder/ 41 in Whichl from the influence of thepumpl;',f` spring 86 pressure or Ailuid will b directedinto thecylindefrv 65andl at the Sametime a'part' of the pressure fluidl win bediroo'ted from the pipe 11,# through the pipe 5| into Ythe cylinder 4 1 to fclose the valve 46. Itfwill thereforehe manifest" that'as soon' asl p essure is applied' in the cylinderj65, the pressure againsty I l uidfrom the'-v cylinder y will kthen flow throughthe pipe! 35,

valve 46 will: be closed.; cutting oi the piston 26 and the pressure pipe 54, around the valve casingl 45, pas`t'the'valve 56, through the'valve casing 40 yand back into theV sump through'the'discharge )pipe f A pipe or passage 88"is connected by one end 'ingl the. opening 148- .pressure into the sump 36.

I1V ther valve 42 is now moved fromv the neutral positionxto that shownfini Figure' '1,' the circula.- fn1131111.befaSffOllOWSl. j i

pP1pe 44 wilibe conneotod'jwitn' theysmrip 3o triro'ughj pip 4 and pipe-ss will be connected 'As the pistonv 84offthe valve` '651s then cut ofi.'

pumpl, through* thepipe 39, valvecasing 40, pipe `siLthe valve opening ,19in the 'valve casing 18, in to pipe11', thence' into cylindrj657vvhfere it In 'thie'position ofthe" vaiioe Las aria 4s,

i there will be no afluid 'ressureffrorni thehpux'np I1 against Ithe piston 26.

,1r now the valve z is moveifrom the l' ition oo shownin Figure 1 tothe position shotvn'in"k igure `2, pressu're 'will be relieved'from the cylinder 65 and thev pressure willv b 'e rexerted upon the piston 26. /How'even before'suchipressure can be applied and valve casing 18, and'has Lc mnn1nication with the pipe 11. Arranged within this pipe. 88 is a' valve casing 89 in which a check valve SilA operates and which check valve is preferably of the flap to fiow through the pipo as arid closing the pipe against thereturn ow o1' the' uid therethrough. When the valve 42 is in thecpositionfshownin Figure 2, which will be the position tocause the type, opening in one direction to permit the uid A80.,valve casing 42, pipe 4f, bafckto thesump 36.

to piston 26, /i'tis necessaryfthat ,ithevalve 46 should openj the valve opening 4 8, which'is only `lpossiblebyl releasing thejprssurey-back of the piston 49.` Thiswill be accomplished through the :to ltl'iepipe 80 'andextends' aroundthe Avalve 8| pipe 5I, pipe 1,1 `andthe b'yl'passi 88; through pipe This operatic jopen'ing the valine 46 willbe accomplished a tomatcally whenthe pressure of they num against the' piston' 49 of the valve as is less than, the-'stress ot' the springfvvhich opens thevalve 46.V1` i 65 It will therefore be manifest thatfthe device is controlled/by yvalves'""4'6iandd65 whichfunction automaticaly due `to fluidv pressure,` in such a mannernthat eitherthe clutch piston 26 or the cylinder will lbe relieved from fluid pressure 70 lat the vvillof the opera-tor and beforeeither the piston'i'n thecylinder `6 5 or cl'u'toh'member 26 will vbe actuated byfluidpressure from'th'epump 81.

This will'rende'r itlimpossibleforthe cylinder 65 l andthe clutch meinber 26 'to siniultaneously re- 76 troud'fby the 15 I common t0, th?

of said connections activ. nnefction re Y of said pipe lines whereby when fluid pressure is directed to the duid pressure controlling means of one of said connections the said valve in the pipe line leading to the fluid controlled means controlling the other of said connections will be closed to cut ofi.' the :duid pressure to the last said connection. A.

8. In combination', a driving element having a constant direction of rotation, a driven element, a forward drive clutch connection and a reverse drive connection between said elements, a source of supply of fluid under pressure, fluid controlled means individual to said connections, a pipe line connection individual to said connections and each leading from said source of supply and through which pipes the fluid is adapted to flow forwardly and backwardly, means common' to said pipe lines for controlling the direction of flow of the fluid therethrougm, a fluid pressure controlled valve in each of said pipe lines, means tending normally to open said valves, a pipe connection between each of said valves and one of said pipe lines whereby when fluid pressure is directed to the fluid pressure controlling means of one of said connections the said valve in the pipe line leading to the fluid controlled means controlling the other of said connections will be closed to cut off the fluid pressure to the last said connection, and an additional valve in each of said pipe lines for controlling the iiuid pressure therethrough.

9. In combination, a driving element having a constant direction of rotation, a driven element, a forward drive clutch connection and a reverse drive connection between said elements, a source of supply of fluid under pressure, fluid controlled means individual to said connections, a pipe line connection individual to said connections and each leading from said source of supply and through which pipes the iiuid'is adapted to flow forwardly and backwardly, means common to said pipe lines for controlling the direction o1 flow of the fluid therethrough, a fluid pressure controlled valve in each of said pipe lines, means tending normally to open said valves, a pipe connection between each of said valves and one of said pipe lines whereby when fluid pressure is directed to the fluid pressure controlling means of one of said connections the said valve in the pipe line leading to the fluid controlled means controlling the other of said connections will be closed to cut oi the fluid pressure to the last said connection, a by pass around each of said valves, and a one way flow valve in each of sai by passes. y I

.10. In combination, a driving element having a constant direction of rotation, a driven element, a forward drive clutch connection and a reverse drive connection between said elements, a source of supply of iiuid under pressure, fluid controlled means individual to said connections, a pipe line connection individual to saidconnections and each leading from said source of` supply and through which pipes the fluid is adapted to flow forwardly and backwardly, means common to said pipe line for controlling the direction of flow of the fluid therethrough, a fluid pressure controlled valve in each of said pipe lines, means tending normally to open said valves, and a pipe connection between each of said valves and one of said pipe lines whereby when fluid pressure is 5 `pipe said pipe lines have connection. l5

11. In combination, a driving element having a constant direction of rotation, a driven element, a forward drive clutch connection and a reverse drive connection between said elements, hydraulic mechanism for simultaneously control- 20 ling said connections, the said mechanism embodying means whereby said connections will be maintained against becoming simultaneously active, and a pressure relief valve for the said hydraulic mechanism.

l2. In combination, a driving element having a constant direction of rotation, a driven element, a forward drive clutch connection and a reverse drive connection between said elements, hydraulic means for simultaneously controlling 30 said connections, the said hydraulic means embodying means operating automatically to'always cause one of said connections to be rendered inactive in advance of the other of said connections being rendered active, and a pressure relief valve 35 for the said hydraulic mechanism.

13. In combination, a driving element having a constant direction of rotation, a driven element, a forward drive clutch connection and a reverse drive connection between said elements, means 40 individual to said connections for controlling them, fluid pressure means common to said controlling means for controlling them, uid pressure controlled means responsive in its operation to the operation of' the first said fluid pressure 45 means and operating automatically to maintain either of said connections against being rendered active when the other of said connections is rendered active, and a pressure relief valve for the said fluid pressure means. 5o

14. In combination, a driving element having a constant direction of rotation, a driven element, a forward drive clutch connection and a reverse drive connection between said elements, means individual to said connections for controlling 55 them, fluid pressure means common to said conpump.

EMERY H. FAHRNEY. 

